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Gearbox is suing 3D Realms parent company Apogee Software for a breach of contract in regard to ownership of the Duke Nukem franchise, according to a lawsuit filed last Friday. This is just the latest in a series of Duke-related legal complaints stretching back over a decade, and at this point, I can’t help but wonder if the time-worn series is even worth the headache.
According to reporting by Digital Trends, Gearbox was supposed to obtain Duke Nukem “free and clear” of any copyright infringement when it bought the franchise from Apogee Software in 2010. But a recent lawsuit brought against Gearbox by original composer Bobby Prince after the release of Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour showed that there were still unresolved liabilities. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford told Digital Trends that his company was forced to file this latest complaint after Apogee failed to settle with Prince and denied a request that would have absolved Gearbox of responsibility.
When it comes to legacy, Duke Nukem is right up there with Doom and Half-Life for the way in which it pushed the first-person shooter genre forward in its time. Duke Nukem 3D, for all the outdated humor and attitude, is fondly remembered as one of the greatest first-person shooters of the ‘90s. Sadly, that legacy now revolves around litigious potshots and 2011’s Duke Nukem Forever, an “abysmal” continuation of the franchise that failed both critically and financially.
According to reporting by Digital Trends, Gearbox was supposed to obtain Duke Nukem “free and clear” of any copyright infringement when it bought the franchise from Apogee Software in 2010. But a recent lawsuit brought against Gearbox by original composer Bobby Prince after the release of Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour showed that there were still unresolved liabilities. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford told Digital Trends that his company was forced to file this latest complaint after Apogee failed to settle with Prince and denied a request that would have absolved Gearbox of responsibility.
When it comes to legacy, Duke Nukem is right up there with Doom and Half-Life for the way in which it pushed the first-person shooter genre forward in its time. Duke Nukem 3D, for all the outdated humor and attitude, is fondly remembered as one of the greatest first-person shooters of the ‘90s. Sadly, that legacy now revolves around litigious potshots and 2011’s Duke Nukem Forever, an “abysmal” continuation of the franchise that failed both critically and financially.
